


A Case of You

by riversideblues



Category: Led Zeppelin
Genre: 1968, Art School, Eventual Smut, M/M, Nude Modeling, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, bonzo is the homie, english major robert, jimmy is an art student, live sketching
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-03-28
Updated: 2020-06-01
Packaged: 2021-03-01 00:00:13
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 9,642
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23355844
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/riversideblues/pseuds/riversideblues
Summary: Robert is a struggling uni student doing all sorts of odd-jobs to make ends meet, and Jimmy is filling his free time away from the music scene with art school. The two meet in an unusual way..takes place in 1968
Relationships: Jimmy Page/Robert Plant
Comments: 30
Kudos: 54





	1. 1

**Author's Note:**

> hi! I know Jimmy went to art school in the early sixties, but for the sake of fiction, it's '68 in here. I don't know about you, but when I read, I like knowing what kinda hair we're working with ;) I call this year Robert's cupid hair
> 
> I hope you enjoy! more to come 
> 
> (p.s., this story is not part of my series domestic zeppelin)  
> (p.p.s., title from Joni Mitchell)

**1968**

The day started out like any other, the gloomy morning sky still too bright for eyes that just woke up. Robert blinked awake and stretched, squinting his eyes and turning his face into his pillow. He was startled to hear a knock at his bedroom door. He lifted his head to look at the clock then quickly sat up, putting on his best ‘I’ve been up for hours’ voice. “Yeah?” he croaked.

Bonzo opened the door and peeked in,”You asked me to deliver a check to the bank right? It’s the first of the month.”

Robert stared at him blankly, then looked at the wall. Bonzo stood there and looked at the carpet,”It.. It is the first, right?” Robert nodded and brought his palms up to his face,”God, I don’t have enough for rent, I had to fix the tail light on my car..”

Bonzo threw his arms up,”I told you I would’ve done it for free! Or a drink or two!” Robert stood up,”You know I hate asking for stuff.” he walked past Bonzo and into the living room of his small apartment.

“You didn’t think that you should have paid rent before everything else?” Bonzo followed him around. Robert picked up a pair of discarded jeans from the sofa and pulled them on, then slid on sandals hiding underneath the coffee table. He grabbed his wallet from the counter and opened it, counting the few bills. “I’m just a few quid short..” he sighed and scratched his head,”d’you think the landlord would mind if I paid late? I’ve never done this before.”

Freshly 20 years old, this flat was his first time away from home. Maureen had offered him to bunk with her, but he preferred not to sleep on a couch for who knows how long, even though he appreciated (and definitely considered) the offer. He wanted to show his doubtful parents that he could live by himself comfortably and be a proficient student at the same time.

So far, he is doing neither of those things.

So here he is, sleep deprived, money deprived, happiness deprived… but as long as he lives on his own, right?

Bonzo huffed a sigh and reached into his back pocket. Robert intervened,”No, Bonz, please I got it, I just have to go and-”

Bonzo held out a hundred quid,”Rob, just take it and pay me back later. It’s okay.” he insisted. The blonde whined, but reluctantly accepted the money. He gave Bonzo a huge hug and shook him back and forth,”Thank you so much. I’ll pay you back as soon as I can.” Bonzo patted him and let go. “I won’t worry, I know where you live.” Bonzo joked. He didn’t mind helping Robert out because he knew how stressed he was all around the clock.

Robert put the money in his wallet and pulled on a jacket, then held the door open for his friend. They locked up and headed out the hallway, Robert discreetly popped a mint in his mouth when he realized he forgot to brush his teeth.

They made their way to the bank in the crisp cold air, and made a detour to visit Maureen at the shop. He got the key from his pocket and let himself and Bonzo in. He could see the warm glow of light in the back where she was doing inventory. “Robert? That you?” she called.

“Yup! I brought Bonzo with me.” he chimed and led the way to the back. She looked up from the wooden crate of donated books and moved a thick lock of black hair from her face,”Hey Bonz. Robert, you know it’s only seven, your shift isn’t until 9:30.” she stood up and stretched, then moved the box to the side of her desk.

Robert nodded,”Yeah, I just stopped by because I’m headed to the bank.” Maureen made a sorry face,”I don’t think I could help you out right now, Robert.” The blonde shook his head,”No no, I just came to say hi. Why would you think I needed help?” he put his hand on his hip in a totally manly way.

She mirrored his move and said,”Well, I know that you have deadlines coming up soon and you’ve been doing less hours, so..” Bonzo already wandered off at this point, looking at some magazines that lined the wall of the store. Robert sighed in defeat,”Yeah, I’m sorry about that. I just really need to keep my grades above C’s.”

He has been working at the shop with Maureen since she opened it. They both had large collections of books and knew enough people who were willing to donate to be able to launch about a year ago. A coffee shop opened next door, which helped both Maureen and them get business, since tea, coffee, and books seem to go hand-in-hand. But Maureen had other employees to pay as well, as much as she wanted to help Robert.

She walked over to Robert and hugged him,”I hope you know that you don’t have to prove anything to anyone. Don’t be afraid to ask for help.” she let go,”Your parents don’t know what they were talking about.” Robert sighed,”I dunno Maureen, I feel like I’m proving them right.” he looked behind for Bonzo only to see him indulged in a Rolling Stone magazine. “Bonzo helped me out right now, even though I really didn’t want him to. I feel so bad..”

Maureen led him to the front of the store and handed him 8 quid,”Here, you’ll be okay. Go get something to drink next door, it’s freezing.” Bonzo turned around and put the magazine back in its cubby. “Thanks Maureen, take care.” he smiled and she nodded back,”No problem boys, now go away and stop distracting me before work hours.” she kidded.

She closed the door and waved at them before she locked up. Robert blinked, looking at the money in his hand,”Something's going on, for some reason money that isn’t mine keeps appearing in my hand.” Bonzo shoves his shoulder playfully and they make their way to the bank, getting some hot cocoa to-go on the way.

Once they get back to Robert’s place, Bonzo goes to the fridge and grabs a beer. “So, you’re working at the shop, singing at the bar, walking your old lady neighbor’s dog, and traveling by foot and you still don’t have enough to live here?” he sat on the bar stool in the tiny kitchen.

Robert plopped down on the sofa,”it’s just because of uni.. I have to pay that myself now too. In fact, I pay money AND wellbeing.” He glanced at his bag in the corner of the room, taunting him with unfinished works.

“Well I guess you should have expected that when you chose to major in Literature and English.” Of course he didn’t expect that, he just wanted to write what he wanted to write. He forgot that there would be rubrics and topics to stick to. There have been countless late nights in bed where he has stared at the ceiling and contemplated dropping out, but he thinks of all the consequences it would bring and he falls asleep on it. He’s already two years in, stopping now would hurt him more than if he just went on. Robert just nodded in response.

“I told you.” Bonzo added.

After some silence, Robert stood and put a blues record on and watched Bonzo nurse his second beer,”Y’know, I met this guy at the bar once that said the art college over there downtown or something pays decently for models..” he shrugged. Robert raised an eyebrow,”You mean, like, nude models?”

“I assume so? What other models would an art college need?” he finished his drink and stood up, throwing it away. He chuckled,”That’d be funny, right? Well, I’m off to work, and you should be too.” Bonzo read his watch, stretched and opened the door,”Also, don’t worry about paying me back. Just let me come and steal some beer every now and then.”

Robert snaps out of it,”You already do that.” Bonzo winks and shuts the door behind him, making his way out of the complex.

‘Nude model, hm? It’s really come to that?’ Robert sighed and rolled onto the ground, puffing a curl of gold out of his face.

Jimmy Page was currently running on one hour of sleep while he was creating a painting. He felt a surge of creativity wash over him as he tried to fall asleep, to no avail. So now, here he is at 8 a.m., putting the finishing touches on the large canvas that he was supposed to use for his final.

The only reason he has been pulling away from the canvas was to go to the bathroom and, now, to make coffee. He put a spoonful of instant coffee grounds in a mug and added the hot water, stirring it and adding some creamer. He sipped it from the kitchen while looking at the painting across the room.

The more he stares, the more things he wants to change about it. He sighed and made his way over to it. He set the mug down and opened the blinds behind him, so the sunlight would be on the canvas.

He was never a fan of traditional art, which is almost all he learns about in college. He has tried to go outside the box on assignments, but sticking to the prompt was crucial to his grade. He sat on the couch while sipping the coffee, still critiquing his own work. He isn’t bad at art, but it isn’t his passion.

His gaze focuses on the beauty leaning on the wall in the corner of the room. The ‘59 Telecaster that takes up most of his free time, to which he so willingly gives in to. A gift from his former bandmate. He stands and picks up the neck of the guitar and sits it into his lap, then feels the sanded wood of the body with his calloused fingertips.

Something in him made him pick up the paintbrush and dip it in green, gliding it on the body of the instrument. He felt a surge of worry, but continued in orange and red, at this point, unable to stop.

When he was finished, he held it up into the sun, having long forgotten about the art on the canvas, pushing the easel to the side. He was left with an abstract beauty on what was once a plain surface begging to be brought to life. For the first time in a long time, he actually admired his own work.

Since the Yardbirds disbanded, Jimmy has felt only the strong urge to get back into a group. More specifically, starting his own. But for now, he decided that art school would be a fun thing to occupy his time away from the music scene. In the meantime, he was piling up riffs on and off paper.

He laid the guitar down on the coffee table and picked up his planner, checking when his next class was. Professor Clairmonte, 11:00 a.m. Wednesday, Basics III Class. He sighed and sat back on his couch and looked to the body of water that bordered the dock outside his home. He should really get some sleep.

Robert was behind the counter, looking up an address from the yellow pages as Maureen helped someone at the cash register right beside him. His finger trailed through the S section of the book.

“Thank you, have a nice day!” Maureen smiled as she signed the receipt and placed it into a drawer beneath. She looked over Robert’s shoulder,”looking for something in particular?” she asked while also scanning the page. He nodded,”I’m looking for the address or the phone number for that Sutton Art College.”

Maureen cringed,”Please don’t tell me you’re looking to take more classes..” the blonde chuckled,”hell no, I can barely draw a stick figure. I heard that I could get some cash there for a- erm, an odd job.” She raised an eyebrow,”Hm, really? What kind of odd-job?” she pushed.

Robert thought for a second, his finger keeping his spot on the page. He closed his eyes,”Well, uhm, I heard that they pay decently for.. Nude models. For like, sketching and stuff, I guess..” he finally looked at Maureen and met her smiling face. She patted his back,”Whatever you have to do, Robert. I just hope you know that not all of this that you’re doing is necessary. My offer still stands, y’know. I have that pull-out couch in my living room if you ever need it.” she rubbed his back reassuringly.

He nodded and side-hugged her,”I know.. Thank you Maureen. Really. I just, I really need to make it myself. For my own sake.” His gaze went back to the book to where his finger was pointing to keep his spot, only to see that he was already pointing at the location he needed. He pulled out a sheet of paper and scribbled down the address, hours, and number, then stuck it into his pocket until he got home and sat on the couch.

He picked up the receiver and dialed the number on the paper and waited. It came to him that he had no idea what to say, or who to ask for. He had no time to think when a woman’s voice answered the phone,”Hello, this is Sutton College front desk, I’m Allison, how may I help you?” he was quiet for a few seconds ‘fuck’.

“Hello?” she repeated.

“Hi, hello, sorry. Um, would you know who I could talk to about modelling for a class? Perhaps a teacher?” he asked and cringed at himself.

“Oh, yes. I will forward you to his telly. Please hold.”

“Thank- oh.” she cut him off as he was now listening to their lobby music. About fifteen seconds later, he was met with a man’s voice,”Professor Clairmonte, who’s this?”

“Hi, my name is Robert and I heard that you offer paid modelling for your art classes?” he asked. The man sounded like he was scavenging for something on his desk.

“Yes, I do. I’m the only teacher that pays people to do it though, so you’re in luck your call got forwarded to me,” he said kindly,”I’m assuming you’d be interested in coming in soon?”

“Yes, I would much appreciate that. I’m open for any date you have available.” he wasn’t, but he would make himself available.

“Okay, how about…” he trailed off, perhaps looking in a journal or a planner,”The closest one I have is this Wednesday at 11:00 a.m.. That’s really soon, but would that work out for you?” Clairmonte asked, tapping the point of his pen there.

Robert thought for a second. That’s in two days,”Yes, that would work out for me too. Is there anything you would like me to do to prepare?” He wrote down the date and time on the same paper with the address and phone number.

The professor seemed to lean back in his chair,”Well, the class is in a unit of sketching, we've had many models come in to do live acts so the students sketch the scenes while they’re happening.”

“Oh, that’s called live sketching, is it not?”

“Yes, but for this class, I would more likely have you sit on a stool and just put you in a position. You won’t need to do anything to prepare that I know of, but I will ask you to be here at 10:30, so thirty minutes before class so I could see you.”

Robert nodded to himself,”Yeah, okay. Thank you so much! I will be there on time and ready.”

“Alright, see you then, Robert.”

Robert put the receiver down and slouched on his couch. He rubbed his face and looked up at the clock on the wall. It was time to walk his old lady neighbor’s dog.

Wednesday morning came quickly. Robert had told Maureen that he would come in, but just leave at 9:30 and return right after the session. He woke up and took a thorough shower, then put on a normal amount of deodorant, and brushed his teeth. He had shaved his face the night before.

He packed a bag just in case, pouring out all of its’ previous contents of papers and a textbook. In it, he shoved a small towel, more deodorant, and some cologne that he sprayed on before shoving that in the bag as well. He wasn’t sure how to dress for this occasion, so he put on jeans, a t-shirt that hugged him nicely, and some slip-on boots. He carried his bag into the living room and grabbed a coat on the hanger.

He looked in the mirror hanging behind the front door and sighed before picking up his bag. He was about to leave when he turned back inside and to the bathroom. He opened the side mirror and grabbed the razor from inside. He shoved that in his bag as well and then finally made his way out to the shop.

The shop had just opened when Robert walked in and made his way to the back of the store. Maureen was right there when he put his bag down,”Hey. Are you ready for your big day?” she snickered. Robert smiled and moved some damp hair out of his face,”Why yes, actually.”

“So you’re only going to be here for an hour and then take off? Y’know, I could’ve given you the day off.” she said. Robert nodded,”Yeah, I know. I’m sure it won’t be long. I’m gonna go to the bathroom real quick.” he picked his bag up and went into the employee bathroom before setting his bag down once again and turning on the light. He took off his jacket and made sure the door was locked when he unzipped his pants.

He unzipped the bag and carefully pulled the razor out, putting it on the sink. He pulled his pants down to his knees and shoved his underwear down with them. He looked in the mirror at himself and then decided that he should clean it up down there just a little.. Right? Yeah. He was gonna do it.

He ran the razor under the water and did just that. He worked quick and carefully, making sure that all the hair would be discarded neatly in a paper towel and into the bottom of the trash can. He was ashamed that he didn’t think about this before he had to leave to work. He’d never been so insecure about his pubes. He was actually never embarrassed about anything down there, nothing down there has ever failed him. But all those people looking at him made him think maybe he should be tame down there.

In the end, he still had hair down there, but it was definitely cleaner than it was before. He looked in the mirror one more time and then pulled his underwear back up along with his jeans. He dried the razor with a brown paper towel and put it back in his bag. He looked around to make sure everything was clean, leaving no evidence. He just shaved his pubes at work. He shook his head at himself and shamefully left the bathroom and made his way into the store area.

Time seemed to pass slowly, but 9:30 finally hit and he went to gather his things and said goodbye to Maureen before making his way to the bus stop. He boarded the bus and chose a seat in the middle near the window. It has been a while since he’s taken public transportation, but he also hasn’t had a reason to travel so far in a long time.

As he settled down in his seat and the bus began to make its way, he looked around to see the type of people that were around him. He saw a few old women that seemed to be friends, a mom and her young son, and a few other ordinary people on their way to work.

Amongst all these people, he settled on one man. He had long black wavy hair and was staring outside the window. He couldn’t see his face because he was sitting two rows in front of him, but he admired his pretty hair from the back.

A few stops later, the stranger never stood or looked around and Robert wandered if he was sane. He chose to not think about it too much, because it was too easy for him to give this complete stranger an entire backstory and that was just too weird when he’s never even seen his face. Robert shook his now-dry curls and looked outside the window again.

After thirty minutes on the bus, the bus finally stopped where he needed to get off. He grabbed his bag when suddenly the mysterious man grabbed his bag as well and stood, gracefully making his way to the front of the bus. Robert finally saw a bit of his face. It was extravagant, and he was glad he got to see it once, but not thinking too much of it.

He stepped off the bus and looked around at the street signs. He made his way down the correct street only to be following the dark-haired man. Even though there were a few other people around them, Robert couldn’t help but feel like maybe the man would think he was following him. Even though it had only been about a minute.

They stopped at a crosswalk when he stood sort of beside him. He looked around at the tall buildings of the city, and then to the side at the strangers’ face. They briefly made eye contact, Robert shooting him a smile and getting a small smile back before breaking the eye contact. Wow, he was pretty as hell.

The sign across the street finally told them to cross, and so they did. Robert followed the sidewalk with his usual strut, and was only a little disappointed when the stranger took a right to the stores that lined the street. He sighed and his inner outgoing Leo considered following him down his way in a non-stalkerish way, but alas, he had a schedule to stick to.

He eventually shook the stranger out of his brain and asked a local for directions when he wanted to be sure he was going the right way. He eventually saw the sign for Sutton and made his way into what he assumed to be the front desk.

The lady that he knew as Allison, the one that cut him off on the phone, looked up from her keyboard with a smile,”May I help you?”

Robert leaned on the tall desk,”Yes, where can I find the room for Professor Clairmonte?”

She reached down into a drawer and circled the front office and drew him an arrow to the professor’s room so she wouldn’t have to explain the confusing directions. She glanced up at him and smiled before writing something else on the paper, then handing the sheet to him,”There you go.”

“Thanks..” he looked down to see what he assumed to be her phone number written at the bottom with a tiny heart drawn next to it,”have a nice day.” he said politely before walking through the office and to the grounds. He walked in the direction of the line she drew and paid attention to the classroom numbers beside their doors.

Eventually he made it to room C-17, and knocked before opening the door of the class and peeking in. He stepped in to see a man sitting at the desk, writing something down before looking up to meet his gaze. “Hello, you must be Robert?” he asked before he stood up.

Robert nodded and stepped fully into the classroom, closing the door behind him,”Yes, hello. Nice to meet you Professor” he smiled and shook his hand when he reached his desk. “Thank you for coming in on such short notice, I was starting to think I would have to go up there and model myself.” he laughed. Robert didn’t think that would have been too bad, Professor Clairmonte had a nice face and a pretty good physique from what he could see. He was probably around 30? Man, Robert was really letting his bisexual thoughts flow in today.

“Okay, so I just want to say you don’t have to feel weird about undressing or anything, these students should be pretty used to this by now, and it’s for art, so it’s all purely creativity.” He made his way around his desk and walked to the middle of the room,”Let’s see..” he looked Robert up and down and the blonde couldn’t help but smile and blush a little.

Clairmonte picked up a stool and carried it to the short platform in the middle of the class and pulled a table up behind it,”So, I think I’m gonna have you pose like this.” He demonstrated a pose. Robert watched as his left leg went over his right, and his arms back, hands flat on the table so the chest was exposed,”Just like that. It’s not too bad, but it will be good to focus on drawing muscle. Okay, let’s have you get undressed now.” he glanced at the time and stood from the stool.

Robert put his bag down on the floor next to Clairmonte’s desk and shrugged his jacket off. The other man closed the blinds and generously unfolded a room divider,”Here you go, you could get undressed behind this. And here’s a robe for you to wear.” he handed him a silky white robe,”Okay, thanks.”

He got behind the divider and pulled his shirt off, draping it over the divider. Then his shoes and socks, then his pants and boxers. He grabbed the robe and pulled it on, then tied it snugly around his waist. It was a little over-sized, but he supposed he wouldn’t be wearing it long anyway.

He grabbed his discarded clothes and bunched them up before walking around the divider and putting them all in his bag. He stood and Clairmonte turned around to look at him, he admired him with a nod,”You’re good.. I might need you more than once if you do well this time. Sorry, I don’t mean that in a weird way, I just mean you have a nice body and face, and well, you’d be a good model for our art studies.” Robert laughed,”Thank you, I try. Hopefully I won’t mind too much about being stared at, since I do sing at a pub every week and that’s usually all eyes on me. Except, well, I’m not naked.” he inquired and Clairmonte nodded with a chuckle while he folded up the room divider and opened the blinds in the classroom again.

They engaged in conversation until the clock struck 10:55 and students started coming in and settling. Robert noticed a few students walking in, seeing him in a robe, and opting not to sit in the front. He glanced at the clock and mentally prepared himself as he spoke to the teacher.


	2. 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jimmy is stunned as he tries to sketch the god-like model in front of him.

Jimmy made his way to the classroom he always went to on Wednesdays at 11 a.m.. C-17. He sipped his now-warm Earl Grey tea in a to-go cup that he got from a cafe on his way here, as usual. He walked into the class and looked to the right corner, where he usually sat, only to see someone already sitting there. 

He eyed the rest of the back row only to sigh and make his way to the front where he inevitably had to sit. ‘Front seats are usually taken.. That’s strange..’ he set his bag on the floor when he looked up and saw the stool in the middle of the room. 

He assumed they would be maybe painting something set on the stool, until his eyes wandered over to the teacher’s desk only to see him talking to a man.. wearing a robe. ‘Oh god.. We’re doing a nude sketch and I’m front and center..’ he brought his hand up to his face and huffed before leaning back in his seat. 

The blonde was quite feminine looking from behind, the only thing that made him sure that he was a man was the broadness of his shoulders and his calves. His hair was sandy blonde and curly, and the white robe he was wearing was beginning to slide off his shoulder. 

Slender waist, tall posture, a cocked hip.. Jimmy observed for a bit longer before looking away and sipping his tea again. 

Finally, Professor Clairmonte made his way to the middle of the class,”Good morning everyone, in a moment I’ll pass out sketch paper if you need any. If not, please take them out and raise your hand if you need one.” Jimmy reached down in his bag and pulled out his sketchbook, flipping it to a vacant page and crossed his legs. 

Clairmonte passed out a few sheets to the few students who needed supplies, and was giving a lecture on why live sketching is relevant to every subject in art. Jimmy listened, though he didn’t really retain much. He lightly tapped his foot on the ground to a beat and let his eyes wander the room. 

His gaze flickered from the front of the room to his lap, waiting for the lecture to be over and for the drawing to commence. 

He doodled on the corner of the page until he saw the man in the robe make his way over to Clairmonte in his peripheral. He stepped onto the platform and sat on the stool.

As soon as Jimmy looked up to see the man’s face, Clairmonte got in his way and covered him from his line of sight, of course. He could only see the man’s curly hair and blue eyes looking up at the professor, listening intently to his instructions. 

Jimmy stared and watched him look down to undo the tie of the robe and saw it fall down his shoulders, sliding his arms out of the silky-looking material. He lifted it from beneath him and handed it to Clairmonte and he heard a giggle come from him. 

The blonde lowered his gaze as he was guided to cross his left leg over the other. The rest of the students in the class were socializing quietly while Jimmy was focused on what was happening in front of him, even though his view was blocked by the professor. 

He looked back up at the professor once more when his gaze flickered over his shoulder, he seemed to make direct eye contact with Jimmy. 

Both of them looked away quickly. 

Jimmy didn’t know that the blonde’s mind had just started to reel. 

“Alright class!” Clairmonte called to their attention. Everyone quieted down,”I suggest starting with a rough sketch, remember, start the structure with shapes, then go in to erase the lines and add details. You’ll have about fifty minutes starting now.” he bowed and stepped down from the platform, presenting the blonde in all his beauty.

Everyone got to work, but Jimmy couldn’t help admiring the model in front of him. 

His legs were slightly crossed, left over right and toes pointing down. His head tilted downward and to the left, making his curly hair frame his face elegantly. His arms held him up as he was leaned back, his softly toned chest on display for the world. And well, his groin area couldn’t be overlooked. His physique is like a Grecian statue with amazing hair and a face sculpted and angled in all the right places.

He looked so relaxed and tranquil.. Or maybe he was just pretending he wasn’t there right now. 

Jimmy awed until he noticed he had wasted five minutes of valuable sketching time. He put his pencil to the paper and thought to himself that he has never been so sure that he was bisexual. 

‘Holy shit.. Shit!’ Robert thought. Of course of all places that mysterious man on the bus had to go, it had to be the class he was about to sit nude in front of for the first time.

He felt his face heat up but tried to keep his cool, keeping his gaze down. He wanted so badly to move a curl out of his face but he was afraid to move his pose. 

He was surprised at how silent the class grew, except for someone tapping their foot to a beat. He could hear the grafite of the pencils scratching the paper, every stroke it seemed like. He wanted to check how long it had been, but really he knew it had only been about ten minutes. 

Robert got over the embarrassment quickly, because he imagined that it was just like going to the pub and singing on the stage, most eyes on him. Others were asleep and drunk at the bar. 

This mentality got him thinking.. Maybe the mysterious man being here wasn’t too much of a bad thing? He wondered if he was making a weird face expression from thinking so hard.

He looked at the ground tiles and his gaze slowly trailed to the man sitting right in the front. He stared at his Converse first, then up to his striped pants, his lap where the large sketch paper was standing, and finally up to his face. 

He had some hair covering the right side of his face, a few strands fell and he pushed them back behind his ear. He looked very concentrated, which flattered Robert to no end. 

Though he was concentrated, his face wasn’t scrunched up nor were his eyebrows furrowed, he could just see it in the way he studied the paper. The man was stunning, in a bit of an unconventional way. He wasn’t the type of guy Robert was usually gaping over, but he was just very.. intriguing. 

His confidence was going through the roof, so naturally, he kept his eyes on the student.

Jimmy finished shaping the calves when he looked up from his paper again. He looked at the models’ knees and up his torso, he drew a few lines for the waist then looked back up to his face, only to make eye contact. 

He didn’t know what to do in the moment, other than to give him a quick little smile, then look back at his torso. He didn’t want to make him uncomfortable by looking him up and down, but he did look pretty self-assured. He knows he’s done this before, he’s way too calm and composed for this to be his first time.

So, he continued drawing his long arms, his stretched and exposed chest, and his tilted neck. He looked back up to his face, making eye contact once again. The blonde’s mouth twitched with a smile, then he finally lowered his gaze. 

Jimmy felt like they were having a silent conversation. He felt like in this room of people, he was posing just for him. 

Just as he would start on the face, Clairmonte stood up,”And that’s time. Please make sure your papers have your names on them and carefully tear them out, then leave them on your seat. You may leave, class is dismissed.” 

Jimmy looked at the headless figure on his paper and sighed. At least the body looked nice, but he was looking forward to the face the most. He wanted to save the best for last, but he spent too much time on details.

He scratched his name on the paper and began to tear it out. The blonde stood up from his chair and grabbed the robe that was hanging from a hook, pulling it on and going to talk to the professor. Jimmy placed his paper on the seat and grabbed his empty to-go cup and made his way out of the room. 

After the door closed, he stood for a second looking at the room, then decided to go on his way.

“Robert, was it?” Clairmonte asked as he pulled out his checkbook. 

Robert grabbed his backpack of clothes,”Yes, Robert Plant.” he smiled,”Y’know, it wasn’t as scary as I thought it would be.” 

The professor smiled,”I’m glad. Most people are shivering and nervous up there, so I appreciated how calm you were. And barely moved an inch for the whole hour, so, thank you.” he stood up and opened the room divider for Robert to get dressed behind, not like he had much to hide at this point. 

He got behind the divider and unzipped his bag, shrugging off the robe once again and reaching down into the backpack, finding his underwear first and pulling them on,”Yeah, I suppose I wasn’t nervous because I am used to having some eyes on me. I’m a performer, so I just used that mentality, I think.”

“Ahh, that’s why then.” he nodded,”What do you play?” Robert zipped up his pants,”I sing. Every Saturday or whenever I can at this pub near my flat. It’s a lot of fun, but I don’t get much from it. But the experience and the fun is what counts.” he says, a little sadly. 

“Well, you’re a natural at this. I might call you up again for a class.” he called. Robert pulled on his shirt and walked around the divider, sliding his boots on,”I would love to, now that I’ve heard I’m a natural.” he shrugged and laughed. 

Clairmonte nodded and finished writing the check. He tore it out carefully and handed it to Robert,”Here you go, Robert. Thank you, and have a nice day.” he smiled and Robert beamed one back,”Thank you sir, don’t be afraid to call me up, you have my number!” He slung his bag on one shoulder and walked out of the class.

As soon as the door closed behind him, he looked down at the check. In nice handwriting, he read two-hundred fifty dollars and zero cents.. There’s no way it could be mistaken for any other number. He put it carefully in his wallet and into his bag, zipping it up. Robert nearly cried tears of joy as he made his way back to the bus stop. 

He took a different route back and found a cafe, and he ordered a hot Earl Grey to-go, striding happily down the sidewalk.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry this one was shorter, I'm not used to writing such long chapters like the first one! I want to try pushing the word count though, it's been fun! 
> 
> hope you're all doing well <3


	3. 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jimmy watches an unlikely performance with Peter Grant, resulting in him properly meeting Robert.

Jimmy walked through his front door and puffed out some air before closing and locking the door behind him. He dropped his satchel on the floor and shrugged off his jacket and pulled on a more comfortable cardigan instead. He rubbed his wool covered arms and made his way to the kitchen. 

He grabbed the kettle from the counter and filled it with new water, taking it back to the stove and turning it on. He noticed a red light coming from the answering machine by his floral couch and made his way over to it. He plopped onto the couch and reached over, pressing play on the machine. The tape rolled and a voice came out;

“Jim? Hello? Dammit.. it’s Peter, call me as soon as possible alright? You got my number.” then a click sound. Jimmy sighed and dialed Grant’s phone number and held the receiver to his ear, waiting for the ringing to stop. 

“Yeah, yeah, haha! Hello? Hello?” Jimmy waited for his cue,”Hi Peter, it’s Jimmy, I got your message?” He grabbed a pillow from the couch and put it in his lap, resting on it.

“Oh yeah, hey, I heard from Terry Reid about this bloke that sings at some pub in Birmingham.. I forgot the name but I have it written down. Do you wanna go check ‘im out tonight?” Peter asked and sounded like he was rummaging around for something. “Umm..” Jimmy looked up at the clock hanging on the wall,”What time would you want to leave? I think I’ll be free the rest of the day..” He messed with the cuffs of his cozy cardigan.

“Hmm.. that’s about two hours away, are you sure?” Jimmy contemplated. “Well, yeah, I heard this one’s got quite a voice on him. If we don’t get there tonight, someone else might get to him first,” he took a sip from his drink,”so, if you’re still sure about this whole putting together a band thing, I suggest we go soon and check ‘im out. How about 6pm? I could pick you up.”

“Okay, why not? I’ll see you at 6 then?” he asked and the kettle started to whistle. “Yeah, I’ll be there. Now go make your tea.” Grant said as he hung up. Jimmy put the phone down and went to turn off the flame, spooning coffee grounds in his mug instead of a tea bag. 

He poured in the hot water and stirred it around, the metal spoon tapping the porcelain being the only sound in the silent home. 

Robert waltzed into the bookstore with a humble nod to Maureen as he made his way to the back. “Robert? Hey!” Maureen smiled as she chased him into the back room and left the approaching customer to another employee,”How did it go? Tell me about it!” 

The blonde smiled as he plopped his backpack onto the ground,”Well, Maureen, I must say this was the easiest two-hundred pounds I’ve ever made in my life.” He hugged her as a greeting. “Woah.. Two-hundred quid? She must have really fancied you then, don’t ya think?” Maureen joked. 

“Actually, it was a man. The professor, I mean. And that wouldn’t upset me one bit because he wasn’t so bad looking himself,” Robert shrugged,”But I don’t know, he said he would like to use me as a model again sometime, and he also did say he was the only teacher that paid their models.” He reached back into his backpack zipper and reached up to put on his nametag to return to work. 

“Sounds like you got really lucky then, do you even need to work here anymore?” Maureen asked sarcastically. “Don’t you worry, I’m still as desperate as ever for a job. I’m not running off anytime soon.. Though, I do feel like singing. I think I might call Bonzo right now and tell him I’m in for tonight. Can I use the telly real quick?” Robert smiled with raised eyebrows and Maureen rolled her eyes lovingly, letting him know he could use the phone anytime he pleased. 

Robert held the phone to his ear as he dialed Bonzo’s home phone. He stared into space until he finally heard it pick up,”Hello?” said a woman’s voice. He could hear little Jason’s voice in the background,”Hello! Pat? It’s me, Robert.” he smiled warmly thinking about his best friend's little family. 

“Hi Robert! Here, I’ll hand the phone to John. John! Rob’s on the phone for you! He’ll be right here, hope you’re doing well Robert.” she said kindly and he could hear her passing the receiver,”Hello?” 

“Hey Bonz! I wanted to call and tell you that I could go sing tonight. My night is cleared up and I’m feeling pretttyy confident right now.” Bonzo tilted his head,”Really? Why’s that?” 

Robert figured he’d might as well tell him before Maureen used it against him somehow. “Mmm.. I kinda took your advice and went to that art college down in Sutton. Y’know, to model and stuff.” he cringed waiting for a response. Bonzo chuckled,”Well, how did it go? Did you get paid?” 

“Well, it actually went pretty well. And I was paid fairly decently I must say.. Is that all you’re gonna ask about? I thought for sure you would have a lot more to say about it.” Robert crossed his arms. “Well, I don’t mind as long as you got paid for it. And you said you were feeling confident so I just assumed it went well. You know, context clues,” he paused,”you are an English major, right?” Robert laughed and shook his head,”Yeah, Yeah.. I’ll see you tonight at eight?” 

Bonzo nodded and went on to call the rest of the members they played with. Robert made his way back into the main store and began to scan the few aisles and make sure everything was in its place and alphabetical for the most part. By the time his shift was over, it was 6pm which gave him more than enough time to choose an outfit for the night and clean up his flat just in case anyone came home with him. 

He chose a white floral v-neck shirt that laced up on top and had flowy long sleeves, along with his usual fitted jeans and the same boots he wore earlier. He looked in the mirror and checked himself out before getting a little giddy and grabbing a thick jacket before walking out the door and to the pub. 

Jimmy tied a scarf around his neck and made his way to Grant’s car after he honked to make his presence known. He locked the door behind him and rushed to the car to get out of the cold air. He pulled the passenger’s door shut and shivered before pulling his seatbelt on. “Afternoon Page, got everything?” Peter asked even though he was already driving away from the home. Jimmy nodded,”Yup. This guy better be good, I’m starting to be doubtful that I’ll find anyone that fits my erm.. vision?”

“Well, maybe you’re being too picky don’t ya think? Don’t worry, let’s just go see this bloke.” He glanced over to Jimmy and looked him up and down, raising an eyebrow,”Do you want to stop and get something to eat? You’re starting to look like a toothpick, Page.” 

The man in question looked up,”Not hungry, but if you need your fix, go right ahead I don’t mind.” he smirked and rested his head on his knee. Peter shook his head and kept his eyes on the road the rest of the drive, stopping only once for petrol and a stop at the liquor store for snacks. 

By the time they got to the pub, it was around 8:30pm and there was a decent crowd. They walked in, Jimmy staying close to Peter the whole time to make their way through. They found 2 seats at the bar and ordered their drinks, Peter making small talk with the bartender. Jimmy looked around but was interrupted when the bartender asked to see his ID. He sighed and stood up to get his wallet and present his card to the man. 

He read it carefully and glanced at him a few times before nodding. Jimmy slouched after he put the wallet back. Grant spoke up,”the band is starting soon right?” the man looked up from the glass he was preparing,”Well, there’s a few performing tonight I think. One act just ended but the next one should be out any minute.” 

“I think the band we’re waiting for is called Obs-Tweedle or some shit. Sound familiar?” he asked. The bartender chuckled and slid Peter his drink with a nod,”Yeah, they come here often as far as I remember. They might be next, not too sure.” He began Jimmy’s drink.

Jimmy spun his barstool so he was facing the stage, where the next band was setting up. He saw a mustached-man adjusting a cymbal, and a guitarist replacing the string on his instrument. A bassist soon joined them on the stage and plucked the strings a few times before nodding. 

“Here’s your drink mate.” he snapped out of it and turned around to grab his glass,”Thank you..” The lights dimmed as he turned back around. The bartender tapped Grant’s shoulder as their attention turned towards the stage,”There’s the band you asked about.” 

Jimmy looked back at Grant and swallowed, hoping for the best.

The crowd quieted down as the lights were only on the stage. Jimmy watched closely in anticipation for any sign of the singer until he saw someone else step into the light. He almost spit out his whiskey as he immediately recognized the man. 

He simply couldn’t be mistaken for anyone else, shoulder-length blonde curls, long legs and small waist.. This was the man he was sketching hours earlier. He sat up straight and forgot to blink. 

The blonde brought his hands up to the mic and flipped his hair before singing the first lines of ‘Somebody To Love’ by Jefferson Airplane. Jimmy was almost certain his mouth was a little open. He watched the way the singer swayed and the way his shoulders moved when he wailed. The rest of the band was guiding him through the ballad. He jumped when Peter landed his big hand on his shoulder. 

Jimmy looked back at Peter reluctantly, not wanting to miss one second of the show. Peter just looked at him with raised eyebrows and a nod. Jimmy smiled and took a swig from his glass, intently listening to the man on the stage. He was almost insulted that one of the men at the bar was asleep. 

After the band had played about ten songs, the beautiful man waved and said goodnight, the band making their way off stage. The audience clapped happily and Jimmy swung around towards Peter, who was already on his fourth drink. “That’s our guy, Grant. I need to go talk to him.” He stood up quickly and paid for his drink, then made his way through the crowd and to the backstage. 

There was no security, which made it quite easy for Jimmy to spot the bassist of the band making his way out the back door. He followed close behind, where he saw the blonde waving to the guy that was on the drums now driving away. The bassist came from behind him and gave him a pat on the back before walking to his car as well. The blonde waved to him and then reached into his own pocket to light a cigarette.

He turned around to shield the flame of the lighter from the breeze when he saw Jimmy and jumped. “Jesus, mate! Scared the shit out of.. me..” he trailed off when he saw the man properly. “Erm.. you look very familiar..” said the blonde, even though he knew exactly where he’d seen him. 

Jimmy smiled and grabbed a lighter from his own pocket and held it out to help light Robert’s cigarette. The blonde looked at him before leaning down and inhaling the first cloud of smoke. 

“Yes, my name is Jimmy Page and I suppose you already know a little about me.. Like the fact that I am an art student.” he smiled wider and noticed the blonde was blushing. He couldn’t tell if it was out of embarrassment or the cold breeze, but perhaps it was both. He held his hand out,”Your name is?” The blonde reciprocated and shook his hand,”My name’s Robert Plant. Did.. did you follow me here?” he asked and Jimmy’s heart jumped.

“God, no. This has just been a big coincidence, I swear.” he watched Robert, who seemed like he was still unsure,”Well, because not only did I see you on the bus this morning, but I also, well, y’know, and now you’re here.” 

Jimmy tilted his head,”You saw me on the bus? I didn’t know that..” Robert shrugged,”Yeah, that’s why I was so startled when I saw you in the classroom!” He covered his face. The brunette swatted the air,”It’s okay. I just came here to see the band Obs-Tweedle with my manager in search of a vocalist.. And I was quite startled when I saw you walk onto the stage.”

Robert took his shield down and raised an eyebrow,”You came to see me?” He took another puff from his cigarette. Jimmy nodded and crossed his arms,”Why, yes. My band dissolved recently and I’ve been on the lookout for possible candidates to start a new one.” 

“You were previously in a band? Anything I would know?” he asked. Jimmy didn’t want to brag, but if he wanted to know,”I was in the Yardbirds, if that sounds familiar at all.” he glanced up at the other man. Robert’s eyes widened,”Yes! I’ve heard of them, you’ve toured America, then?” he asked, intrigued. Jimmy nodded and pulled out a pack of cigarettes, lighting one for himself. 

“I must say though.. I’m really surprised you haven’t been found out by an agent yet.. How long have you been singing?” Jimmy asked. “Hard to say.. I’ve been singing my whole life, but I barely started to sing with bands a few years ago.”

Jimmy raised an eyebrow,”Years? I find that hard to believe. You would have definitely been picked up by now!” Robert shrugged,”I don’t know, you’re the first person that has ever come up to me to talk about business.”

Jimmy opened his mouth to speak right before the door of the backstage opened abruptly and out stepped Peter Grant,”There you are, Jimmy! Oh, you found him!” Grant exclaimed and made his way over to Robert,”Hello, I’m Peter Grant, manager.” he shook Robert’s hand,”Nice to meet you, sir. I’m Robert Plant.” he looked up at his intimidating figure as Grant shook his whole arm. 

“I suppose he’s already told you about the band he’s been working on putting together. We already got him and a bassist.” Grant said. Robert looked to Jimmy,”You play guitar, then?” Jimmy nodded and Peter cut in,”Yes, and he’s bloody good at it too.” Jimmy smiled and shook his head. 

Peter looked to the blonde,”Look kid, your performance up there was as good as an audition as I needed to see, but we need to know if you’re open to joining this promising band. Got no commitments or anything holding you back, you get me?” Robert nodded and thought for a moment.

“Well, music is my passion, no doubt about that, but I’m in college and I’m working my arse off just to get by..” he thought aloud. “When you’re in this business, you’ll never need to worry about finances again if you’re successful enough. Leave the business part to me.” Grant assured him. 

Robert looked up from his deep thoughts, his cigarette already burnt to the butt. He flicked it and stepped it into the ground. He held out his hand to Peter,”I.. I think I’ll do it..” he stuttered. Jimmy nodded and sighed out of relief. Grant shook his hand once more and patted his shoulder with his free hand,”You won’t regret this, mate.”

Peter nudged Jimmy’s shoulder,”I’m gonna go turn the car on, you’re going to have to drive though, I’m a little drunk.” he walked around to the front of the building. 

This left Jimmy and Robert alone, with only the muted sound of the next band playing inside and the crowd cheering. Robert smiled at Jimmy nervously and Jimmy returned it,”I think that before we go any further into this whole partnership band thing, you and I should spend some time together, see if we’re compatible, y’know?” he proposed.

Robert nodded,”Yeah, sure. That sounds like a good idea!” Jimmy smiled,”Great, are you doing anything tomorrow?” Once again, Robert lied about his busy schedule,”No, I’m completely free. Where did you have in mind?”

Jimmy thought for a second,”Erm.. We could go to my house? I live near the art school. It’s a little far but if you want I could pick you up?” Robert shook his head,”No, it’s okay, I’ll just take the bus. I wouldn’t want you to commute that far for me.” Robert insisted. Jimmy nodded,”Okay, I understand. Oh, here. I’ll write down my phone number and address.” He got a random business card from his pocket and wrote on the back of it, labeled it Jimmy Page. He handed it to Robert and smiled. 

“Thank you so much, Jimmy. I hope that the way we initially met won’t taint our.. Friendship?” Robert said. Jimmy laughed and shook his head,”Don’t worry about it.. Though, I never did get to finish that sketch. It was quite frustrating..” he said with a smirk. He reached out and shook Robert’s hand, once again noticing that blush on his cheeks and across his nose. 

“I.. I’ll give you a call!” Robert said as Jimmy waved and made his way back to the car. 

Jimmy plopped into the driver’s seat and Grant looked over to him,”So? What did you think?” He put the car into reverse and then drive, then looked over to Grant briefly,”He’s the one. But I invited him over to see if we’re compatible. Don’t you think it’s a little strange that he hasn’t been signed yet? There has to be something wrong with him. Perhaps he’s hard to work with?” he questions.

“If you have all those suspicions, then why are you inviting him into your home?” Peter asked. Jimmy shrugged, not really knowing the answer. All he knew is that he loved his powerful voice, striking appearance, and the way he was so drawn to him. “I don’t know, but I’m more than willing to find out.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm back! classes have ended, so I've been trying to get the creative juices going again. Hope you enjoyed, stay safe out there <3

**Author's Note:**

> sorry for the long absence!! I think we've all been suddenly granted free time, so I decided to finally write again. I hope you're all doing well out there and practicing social distancing. I know it's hard, but thank god we have ao3, right? 
> 
> I'll be back with more soon, wash yo hands!


End file.
